12-22-15
A lawsuit filed against Iberia Parish government and the Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office in connection with the death of a 16-year-old who hanged himself while in jail will proceed despite the death of the mother who filed it. The Daily Iberian reports that Yulanda Thompson filed the lawsuit Aug. 26 in federal court on behalf of her son Daquentin Thompson, who hanged himself while being held in the jail in 2014. Yulanda Thompson died Dec. 7. Last week, lawyers for the plaintiff, Elizabeth Cumming and Stephen Haedicke, submitted a motion for Tyree Thompson, Yulanda Thompson’s other son, to take his mother’s place in the suit.
AT ABOUT 6:30 LAST NIGHT, A COUPLE OF PASSERS-BY PULLED A WOMAN FROM THE WRECKAGE OF HER CAR SECONDS BEFORE IT BURST INTO FLAMES. STATE POLICE TROOP D SPOKESMAN SERGEANT JAMES ANDERSON SAYS THE WOMAN WAS TRAVELING ON I-210 IN LAKE CHARLES WHEN SHE HIT THE RAILING AND ANOTHER VEHICLE, WHICH CAUSED HER CAR TO OVERTURN THREE TIMES BEFORE COMING TO REST ON A ROADWAY AT THE FOOT OF THE BRIDGE. AFTER BEING PULLED TO SAFETY, 21-YEAR-OLD GABRIELLE GOOGE OF WASHINGTON WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL WITH NON-LIFE THREATENING INJURIES. ANDERSON SAYS GOOGE WAS ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH D-W-I AND CARELESS OPERATION.
CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW VETERAN’S AFFAIRS CLINIC IN LAFAYETTE IS ON SCHEDULE. V-A PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER TAMMY ARNOLD TELLS THE ADVOCATE THE CLEARING AND GRADING WORK HAS BEEN DONE AT THE SITE, LOCATED ACROSS FROM THE WALMART STORE ON AMBASSADOR CAFFERY, AND WORKERS HAVE BEGUN ERECTING STEEL FOR THE STRUCTURE. SHE SAYS THE CLINIC IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED BY NEXT FALL AND OPEN TO VETERAN’S LATE NEXT YEAR. THE CLINIC WILL BE THREE TIMES LARGER THAN THE CURRENT CLINIC, LOCATED AT JEFFERSON AND PINHOOK.
Gov.-elect John Bel Edwards intends to remove work requirements that Gov. Bobby Jindal has enacted for more than 60,000 food stamp recipients. Edwards sent a letter Monday to the U.S. Department of Agriculture saying he will seek a federal waiver of the work requirements. The governor-elect says Louisiana’s unemployment rate qualifies it to skip the work mandate. He’s asking the USDA and the state social services department to stop any interruption of benefits until Edwards can reapply for the waiver that Jindal allowed to expire.
IN ABBEVILLE, A YEAR LONG INVESTIGATION HAS TARGETED SEVENTEEN SUSPECTED GANG MEMBERS. JEFF HORCHEK HAS MORE.
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AN EIGHT-YEAR-OLD SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA BOY HAS A NEW KIDNEY. NINE-YEAR-OLD BRAYDEN CROXDALE HAS A KIDNEY DISEASE CALLED ALPORT SYNDROME, AND ONE YEAR AGO, HIS KIDNEY’S BEGAN TO FAIL, REQUIRING HIM TO BE ON HOME DIALYSIS. THE FAMILY GOT A CALL SATURDAY THAT THERE WAS A KIDNEY FOR HIM AND AFTER SURGERY IN HOUSTON, IT BEGAN WORKING PERFECTLY, ACCORDING TO HIS MOM, BRANDI. IF THERE ARE NO COMPLICATIONS, BRAYDEN SHOULD BE ABLE TO RETURN TO SCHOOL AT GILLIS ELEMENTARY, WHERE HE IS IN THE FOURTH GRADE.
BEGINNING IN JANUARY, WORKERS WILL REPLACE ALMOST ALL OF THE PIPES AT THE LAFAYETTE PARISH CORRECTIONAL CENTER. THE ONE-POINT-9 MILLION DOLLAR PROJECT IS EXPECTED TO SOLVE A CHRONIC LEAKING PROBLEM AT THE FACILITY CAUSED BY THE AGING P-V-C PIPES. FLOOR LEVEL SHUTOFF VALVES WILL BE INSTALLED AS WELL WHICH WILL ENABLE JAIL STAFF TO PREVENT INMATES FROM FLUSHING CONTRABAND DOWN THE TOILETS BEFORE A SEARCH IS CONDUCTED. THE INMATES AT THE FACILITY WILL BE TRANSFERRED TO THE WILLOW STREET PUBLIC SAFETY COMPLEX AND TO OTHER JAILS AROUND THE STATE WHILE THE WORK IS DONE ON THE PIPES, WHICH SHOULD TAKE ABOUT NINE MONTHS.
Outside groups are trying to influence the decision of who will be Louisiana’s next House speaker. The Republican Party of Louisiana, Louisiana Right to Life and the the Louisiana Family Forum have sent emails in the race. They’re urging people to contact lawmakers to oppose Gov.-elect John Bel Edwards’ pick for House speaker, Rep. Walt Leger, a New Orleans Democrat. Edwards’ backing of Leger in the majority Republican chamber has irritated some GOP House members who wanted one of their own to win the leadership job.
